Dongye City. The Palace.

This had originally been the prefecture government offices of Dongye City. After Chang Xing hanged the Prefect in the doorway, the common people had not dared go near. But Chang Xing felt no such compunction, and had made himself quite comfortable living here.

One thing Chang Xing often said was: whether they be gods or demons, immortals or fiends — have you ever seen them punish evil men?

Those beings, he said, only ever frightened ordinary common folk.

When Wu Naiyu walked through the gates of the government offices, he looked up. A length of rope still dangled from the overhead beam.

Chang Xing had deliberately left it there. It had hung there ever since.

Someone had once said they were afraid the Prefect’s spirit would return for revenge. Chang Xing had replied that they should leave the rope, so that when the Prefect came back, he could see for himself exactly how he had died.

The Prefect and Wu Naiyu had gotten along well — they would often play chess together.

The Prefect had even poked fun at Wu Naiyu’s name, saying it was truly an unpleasant one.

Wu Naiyu also thought his own name was ugly, but he had never once considered changing it.

He had once asked why he was given this name. At the time, his father told him it carried a deeper meaning.

His father said: *Nai* — the first food of a newborn, given by the mother’s life — so that you would always remember.

*Yu*, fish — because fish swim free, darting joyfully through the water, fleet and nimble. When we say a person has found their footing, we say they are like a fish that has found its water.

The meaning of your name, his father said, is that from the moment you were born, you were a fish in water.

Wu Naiyu had nodded at the time and said he didn’t know his name carried such meaning.

Though he didn’t believe a word of it.

His father had laughed with satisfaction and said that ordinary people could never appreciate the depth hidden in this name.

His mother, standing nearby, had spoken softly. *That’s utter nonsense.*

His mother explained that his father’s greatest love was raising fish — he had kept countless of them at home.

The one he loved most, the one he treasured above all, was a fish of pure white throughout, like mutton-fat jade. When it swam, it drifted like flowing clouds; when still, it was like white jade.

That fish, his father cherished above all else.

Wu Naiyu had looked at his father at the time and said, so everything Father said before about the meaning — it was all made up.

His mother said, of course it was all made up. But that was his most beloved fish.

Wu Naiyu had been briefly stunned.

His mother said: after you were born, your father rarely looked at that fish anymore. He spent his days keeping watch over you.

When the Prefect heard Wu Naiyu tell this story, he had been silent for a long while, then poured a cup of wine for Wu Naiyu.

Wu Naiyu asked: what is this toast for?

The Prefect raised his cup and said: a toast to all the fathers and mothers under heaven.

A man who could say those words — how bad a person could he truly be?

It was precisely because he was not bad enough, not corrupt enough, not ruthless enough, that Chang Xing had been able to scheme against him. That he had ended up hanged in the doorway of these very offices, becoming a wronged spirit.

When Wu Naiyu heard of the Prefect’s death, he sat before the chess table for a long, silent time.

He had a small tavern, and the Prefect would always come to drink there without paying. Every time Wu Naiyu said *when are you settling up*, the Prefect would say *when my salary comes in, I’ll pay you*. That Wu Naiyu alone dared to speak to the Prefect without any deference was a rare thing.

But the court had gone nearly ten years without giving a second thought to this remote mountain city on the edge of Jizhou.

One year, the Prefect and his staff had planted a grove of jujube trees on the slopes below the mountain, and the harvest had been abundant — they’d gathered a good many jujubes. They sold them, and the Prefect came to settle his tab.

Wu Naiyu did not refuse. He accepted the small silver coins, drank a jar of wine with the Prefect, and played chess with him for half a day straight.

He asked the Prefect: why do you like to drink?

The Prefect replied: *Tired.*

He asked again: then why do you only come to drink once every seven days?

The Prefect replied: *Tired.*

After the Prefect went home that night, his wife said Su Xiaoxiao had stopped by — she had refilled the grain jar and brought wine and meat.

The Prefect had said to his wife that evening: making a public show of asking for payment, making a public show of settling accounts — that was something done in public, because he was the Prefect.

Wu Naiyu pressing me for payment in front of everyone, again and again — it was because he wanted the people to know that the Prefect had not stolen, had not taken, that he couldn’t even pay his wine tab.

Wu Naiyu also wanted the people to know that the Prefect, even when publicly dunned for money, never lost his temper — which meant he must truly be a good official.

That day, someone coming in for wine said the Prefect had been hanged in front of the offices.

Wu Naiyu sat in a daze beside the chess table for a long while. Then he poured two cups of wine and raised his cup to clink against the one sitting across from him.

*What is this toast for?*

*A toast to all the good officials and parents of the people under heaven.*

Walking through the gates of the offices and looking at the armored guards on both sides, a few familiar faces caught his eye — men who had once served here as clerks and constables, now turned into guards for a gang of thieves.

Wu Naiyu looked at them. Those men kept their heads down and avoided his gaze.

In the main hall, Chang Xing — dressed in royal robes — saw Wu Naiyu arrive and laughed heartily as he came out to welcome him.

“Master Wu, at last you’ve come.”

Chang Xing ushered Wu Naiyu into the hall and ordered someone to bring tea for the master.

He asked Wu Naiyu, “The reason I’ve summoned you, Master, is to ask how best to deal with a powerful enemy that has appeared outside the city. What is your counsel?”

Wu Naiyu looked at him, and as always, said nothing.

Chang Xing frowned, thinking: this man still has that same insufferable disposition.

He had wanted to have this man killed from the start. He had dared to kill the Prefect — was he afraid to kill one bookman?

But when the moment came to act, he had hesitated.

Because he knew that every household in this entire mountain city had probably received some kindness from Wu Naiyu.

On an open patch of ground in the city, Wu Naiyu had hung up a wooden board and used charcoal sticks to teach — day after day, year after year, rain or shine, sleet or snow.

The children of the city — a great many of them — had learned to read and write from him, and he charged not a single coin. And it wasn’t only children. Whoever wished to listen, even if only one person was present, he would continue teaching.

Chang Xing had killed the Prefect because the Prefect had refused to join his cause — such a man, killed, so be it.

But Chang Xing was well aware he could not remain a great bandit his whole life.

Since he had glimpsed the possibility of transforming a household into a nation, he had to walk that grand road.

Keeping Wu Naiyu alive meant keeping the people’s hearts.

The Prefect had been unbending and refused to hand over his official seal, and had even tried to rouse the people against him — how could such a man be allowed to live?

But Wu Naiyu was merely a scholar.

“Master Wu is also a man of Dongye City. Master Wu should also share in Dongye City’s troubles.”

Chang Xing walked to stand before Wu Naiyu and smiled. “I have heard on more than one occasion that when Master Wu was at the Jizhou Academy, he had already made a name for himself. People have always said that Master Wu possesses both civil and martial talent — the ability to govern a nation, the capacity to order the world…”

“And yet Master Wu does not even wish to protect his own hometown. What governance of the nation and ordering of the world do you speak of?”

Chang Xing said, “With your great talent, you must certainly have an excellent strategy to defeat the enemy — and the courage to carry it out. And so — even though Master Wu does not wish to speak — I still intend to put you to use.”

He smiled and said, “If you will not speak, if you will not teach others, then you may simply go and do it yourself.”

Wu Naiyu still said nothing.

Just as Chang Xing was about to order someone to fit Wu Naiyu with armor and weapons and send him out to fight the Ning Army, someone suddenly came running in from outside.

The soldier came rushing in, bowing at the doorway. “My lord, the Ning Army appears to be mounting an attack on the city.”

The generals standing nearby all rose to their feet — some in surprise, some with contempt, some with a scornful laugh.

They all looked toward Chang Xing.

Chang Xing thought: perfect timing, I’ll send Wu Naiyu out to his death.

He was just about to open his mouth when Wu Naiyu stood up and swept his gaze across the faces of all the assembled generals, finally letting it rest on Chang Xing.

After a brief pause, Wu Naiyu smiled.

“Heh.”

Just those two syllables — and Chang Xing felt a nameless fury ignite within him.

Because those two syllables were saturated with contempt.

Wu Naiyu strode out, not looking back.

“Stop right there.”

Chang Xing’s expression had grown unpleasant. “That cold laugh just now — were you mocking me?”

He stepped in front of Wu Naiyu and looked him in the eye. “Were you mocking me for having no capable men? Were you mocking me for not daring to go out and meet the enemy in battle? Were you mocking me for having hundreds of battle commanders and not one capable of defeating the Ning Army?”

He pointed to his assembled generals.

“Under my banner, there is no shortage of talent. These men are all my brave commanders — every one of them a warrior worth ten thousand men! I could send any one of them out with troops and they could defeat the Ning Army.”

“The reason I have not gone out to fight before now was not because I feared that Li Chi — it was because I needed to assess the enemy. What would a scholar know about these things?”

Wu Naiyu looked at him.

After a moment.

“Heh.”

The second time. Then he continued walking forward.

Now even Chang Xing’s assembled generals could take no more.

These were all men who had commanded troops in battle, all of whom prided themselves on their own valor. To be looked down upon by Wu Naiyu in this way — their self-respect was gravely wounded.

Even though Wu Naiyu had still said nothing at all — just laughed that contemptuous laugh twice.

They were furious, seething with a desire to hack Wu Naiyu down.

And yet not a single one was willing to be the first to step forward.

Because however angry they were, however much they itched to kill him — the enemy’s true strength was still unclear. If they went out and lost, that was one thing, but what if they died?

Lose, and you can fight again. Die, and there is nothing left to fight with.

“My lord!”

At that moment, two more men came running in from outside.

These two were generals in Chang Xing’s service — one named Wan Zai, the other Ren Jian. Both had been sent outside the city to gather intelligence.

Wan Zai entered, bowed, and said, “My lord, the truth has been confirmed. Our scouts ranged a hundred li behind the Ning Army’s position and found absolutely no large force whatsoever!”

Ren Jian added, “What I uncovered was the same. The Ning Army that came numbers just over ten thousand — there is no rear echelon at all.”

Chang Xing slapped the table. “That little bandit Li Chi — he actually dared to deceive me like this!”

The assembled generals, upon hearing that Li Chi had no rear reinforcements, immediately became animated.

“My lord, I’ll go out and fight — I’ll vent your anger for you, my lord!”

“My lord, let me go and kill that Li Chi — I’ll bring his head back and offer it to you!”

“My lord, let me go!”

“My lord, let me go instead — I’ll sign a military pledge!”

“I’ll sign one too.”

Chang Xing laughed heartily and looked at Wu Naiyu. “Did you see? My brave commanders — are they truly afraid to go out and fight?”

Wu Naiyu looked at him, still with that same calm gaze as before.

After a moment.

“Heh.”

The third time. Chang Xing felt something in his mind detonate.

“Someone!”

Chang Xing pointed at Wu Naiyu. “Bind him and bring him to the battlefield between the two armies. Let him watch and see how I defeat that Li Chi!”

Wu Naiyu continued looking at Chang Xing. This time he didn’t even bother with the laugh — but that expression in his eyes was enough for Chang Xing to feel the full weight of his contempt.

“Order the troops to assemble. I am going to command this battle in person.”

Chang Xing waved his hand. “Bring my armor!”

Before long, his attendants had fitted him in his battle armor. Chang Xing led his generals out in great strides.

Wu Naiyu was bound with his arms behind his back and shoved along behind them.

Chang Xing ordered the troops to assemble. Tens of thousands of men surged out through three city gates simultaneously, like floodgates flung open — three enormous waterfalls released at once.

Outside the city, there were already rebel troops: Xiao Mao’s forces, numbering over twenty thousand. With the city troops pouring out, they began spreading left and right in a flanking movement, intent on swallowing the Ning Army whole in a single breath.

In the distance, Yu Jiuling was still at his station, megaphone in hand, bellowing away. When he saw the enemy’s massive forces come surging out, he gave a startled jump.

He asked his adjutant, “What was I cursing just now?”

His adjutant replied, “Just now, General, you were cursing Chang Xing saying he doesn’t quite measure up — short and soft and not worth much…”

Yu Jiuling spun around and ran. “Run, run — that one worked! If I’d known that one worked, I would’ve used it earlier!”

His adjutants sprinted after him, every one of them with a flair that matched three parts of Yu Jiuling’s own.

—